Despite a severely sprained ankle, Thomas returned 35 seconds later and continued the offensive assault. By the end of the quarter, he had hit 11 of 13 shots from the floor for 25 points, setting an NBA Finals record for points in a quarter. Better yet, he had single-handedly given his team an 81-79 lead.
The Pistons ultimately lost Game 6 to the Lakers, but it was no fault of the battle-weary Thomas. He finished the night with a jammed left pinkie, a poked eye, a scratched face, a ballooned ankle, 43 points, 8 assists, 6 steals, and enough respect to last a lifetime.
"We got a miraculous game from Isiah, as hurt as he was," Pistons coach Chuck Daly said afterward. "He got us back in the game. On offense, we didn't give him as much support as I would like. We were 45 seconds away from an NBA Championship. What can I say?"
"What Isiah Thomas did in the second half was just incredible," agreed Lakers coach Pat Riley.
Lakers guard Magic Johnson, Thomas' longtime friend, added: "I think he was just unconscious. I think he said, 'Okay, I'm going to take this game over.' I've seen him do that before. He was in his rhythm. When he starts skipping and hopping, that means he's in his rhythm. That means he's ready."
just became the first player to record 40 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals in a postseason game since 
in 1989. This made me think about the best PG performances I've been able to see. Although this dude is a grade-A a$$hole, I have to say this was the best playoff game I've seen from a point guard. 
